


Infectious Desire

by MusingSkies



Category: Dangan Ronpa, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Alternate Universe, Canon Setting, Chapter Three Spoilers, F/M, However they don't do the naughty, It makes her flirtatious, M/M, OT3, Sonia get the Despair Disease, Suggestive Themes, if you want to see it that way - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-18
Updated: 2016-03-18
Packaged: 2018-05-27 13:35:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6286717
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MusingSkies/pseuds/MusingSkies
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the Despair Disease takes hold and the remaining students move to the motel to keep in touch with those in the hospital, Gundam comes across Sonia who is acting quite...forward. He eventually comes to realize she, too, has the disease and becomes overwhelmed to the point where he seeks help from the most unlikely person, Souda. Now, the two boys are in a tough situation as Sonia's disease causes her to become extremely flirtatious without her control, and they must resist her tempting ways until morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Infectious Desire

His skin felt like it was crawling, and he had to resist the urge to brush himself off every five seconds as he unconsciously thought of the small, microscopic insects that had been unleashed. Vile vermin that were spreading disease and contaminating people with despair were upon them as a new motive, their captor had explained, that would eventually lead to the death of another. 

Or so Monobear hoped. 

They were smart, however, and decided to seclude themselves from those who were contaminated. That way, no one else would catch the despair fever. The group had re-located to the old motel down the street of the hospital, in case of emergency, and now Tanaka Gundam was sitting in his designated motel room, on the edge of his bed with his hands clasped together and his elbows on his knees. 

Occasionally, the urge to itch would return, but Gundam would only dig his fingers into the backs of his hands to resist. At one point his knuckles started to turn white with how tightly he was clasping, until finally the dark Devas decided enough was enough. The four creatures nuzzled at his hands, and when Gundam realized why, he relaxed and gave a small sigh. 

“Do not fret,” Gundam murmured, before gently stroking Cham-P, who had settled into his open palm, “Our poison should be able to protect us against the vile creatures.” 

“However,” He continued, watching the three other Devas crawl up his sleeves and into his scarf, “The others are still in grave danger.” 

Slowly Gundam laid back on the bed, the springs creaking as his weight pressed down onto the mattress. When he first arrived on the island, he had planned on not becoming attached to anyone. However, as time went on, he had begun to realize the potential the others had. They were intelligent, well most of them were, and their ability to bring everyone together was extraordinary to the point where it even worked on him. Why else was he here, in this run-down motel with everyone else, instead of back at his cottage?  
Gundam gave another sigh, before closing his eyes and reflecting on those who were still alive. Their numbers were dwindling, and this new motive that blurred one’s perception was lethal at its finest. The only thing they could do now was hope it would never get to that point, and that a cure would be found before anyone suffered with their life. 

A knock on his door caused Gundam to sit up quickly, the Devas in his scarf squeaking in protest. He mumbled a soft apology before placing Cham-P in his scarf as well, then heading to the door. The door, since it was a motel, contained a peep hole, which he looked in and was surprised to find the Super High School Level Princess on the other side.  
Honestly he wasn’t quite sure why he was surprised. The princess seemed to gravitate to him more than any other mortal he had come in contact with, despite his warnings. She was genuinely interested in his life and his abilities, to the point where he had begun to wonder if she, too, was more than a mere mortal. This idea was backed up also with the fact that she had been able to touch his skin without burning herself. (She had reached over and brushed his arm to grab his attention, to which he had jumped a foot in the air at the contact, since it had been so long since another human touched him.) Truly, she was something mystical to behold. 

With flourish and a confidence he had not previously held, Gundam opened the door to fully reveal Sonia Nevermind standing before him…and almost immediately knowing something was wrong.

The princess was leaning against the doorframe, her arms wrapped around herself. One arm was crossing her chest and resting on her shoulder, while the other was across her stomach with her hand on her waist. Her face had a light tint of pink on her cheeks, and her braid that was usually neatly made was undone. Her gaze had been lowered when he first opened the door, however she eagerly raised her head once the door creaked.

“Tanaka-san!” Sonia chirped, a smile forming on her features, however the smile took on a more sultry appearance as she spoke again, “May I come in?” 

Gundam stared at the princess; he felt his cheeks grow warm at the suggestive look she had given him, however he couldn’t bring himself to be flustered completely. Something was off about the princess before him, but he couldn’t pin point it exactly. After a brief moment of hesitation, Gundam gave a slight nod before turning to allow some space for Sonia to come into his room.

“You may enter…,” He murmured, his eyes narrowing slightly as the princess squeezed her way through into the motel room. This time his cheeks did flare up completely as Sonia giggled as she passed him, her hand that was on her shoulder brushing his scarf and running along his own shoulder. 

Gundam turned to the door to close it, and when he turned back he found Sonia sitting comfortably on the end of his bed, her arms spread out and her fingers drumming gently on the comforter. She was watching his every move, he realized, through a half-lidded gaze that reminded him much of a predator eyeing its prey, and as he made his way hesitantly towards her, the suggestive look returned. 

“Tanaka-san,” Sonia began, “As I was sitting in my motel room, getting ready for bed, a thought had occurred to me.” 

Sonia raised her left foot to the side, in just enough of a reach to pull off her shoe, before lifting up the right one and slipping off that shoe as well, until she was able to lay her legs on top of the comforter. Gundam caught himself watching each move Sonia made, including having his gaze trace her form down to her toes, and feeling himself tense at the sound of her shoes hitting the floor. He looked up at her face, finding her eyes travelling around his frame as well, and suddenly he felt self-conscious. He adjusted the scarf wrapped around his neck, the four dark Devas squeaking softly at the sudden movement, before clearing his throat and responding to her previous statement.

“And what such thoughts have entered your mind?” Gundam managed. Sonia smiled a bit wider, before rubbing the spot beside her on the bed. 

“Come sit next to me and I’ll tell you,” She seemed to purr at the end, causing Gundam’s cheeks to flare up, however he quickly shook his head. No, he would not succumb to such perverse thoughts! Only weak mortals thought of such sin, and with his Lady of Darkness, of all people! No, she too would never think in such a way.

And yet….

And yet he felt his feet move him forward, until he was perched on the edge of the bed beside the princess. 

“What is it you wish to confide to me?” Gundam asked, mentally cursing the weakness of his mortal vessel as he realized he had done exactly what he told himself not to. 

“Well,” Sonia nudged herself closer to him, suddenly bashful, before gently placing a hand on his leg. Gundam gave a start, and this time he felt his whole body heat up. He grabbed the fabric of his muffler reflexively, lifting it up slowly to hide the increasing redness on his face.

“…I was wondering if…I could further experience your poisonous touch,” Sonia had taken her other hand and snaked it slowly up his arm, leaning forward towards him. She raised her eyebrows, before giving him wide, doe-like eyes. 

Alarm bells were ringing in Gundam’s mind now, his eyes going wide with shock. His whole body was on edge as he attempted to speak, his face completely red at this point.

“M-My Lady!” He sputtered, “M-My poison is much too strong for you! The fact that you are touching my clothes that I cover myself in is a feat itself! You had barely gotten away with your life the last time you had brushed my skin. Had I not repressed my aura you would have surely perished.” 

Sonia pouted softly, before looking to the side as she thought. Gundam had to remind himself to breathe, however it only hitched again when her grip on his arm tightened and she looked at him with fiery determination. 

“I am confident in my abilities and if your touch is the last one I feel…then so be it,” Sonia resolved, and began leaning forward now, Gundam watching as her eyelids fluttered close and her lips pursed. 

Was…was she going to kiss him?

Gundam felt his heart beat wildly in his chest as his mind ceased to operate. He couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. Was this really happening right now? Was someone really showing him affection? Did Sonia Nevermind, Princess of Novoselic, really…hold romantic feelings for him?

…No. No, something was wrong. This wasn’t right. This isn’t--! 

Gundam jolted off the bed, completely forgetting the iron-like grip Sonia had on his arm and effectively pulling her up with him. Sonia gave a squeak in surprise, before stumbling into Gundam and knocking them both onto the floor. Gundam’s back hit the hard ground with a thud, causing a grunt to escape his lips before all the air was knocked out of him as Sonia landed on top. The four dark Devas protested loudly at the sudden drop, before quickly skittering out of his scarf and away from the two humans. 

Gundam gasped for breath, sweat rolling down his face as Sonia’s own face was inches from his. Sonia, meanwhile, was trying to regain her senses before blinking down at him with bright, swirled eyes. She started giggling, before purring teasingly, “Tanaka-san~!” 

Sonia pressed her forehead against his own, her breath hot on his face as she continued to giggle, not noticing Gundam’s brows furrow and his eyes narrow. 

Her forehead…her forehead was burning up. 

Immediately the actuality of the situation hit him like a ton of bricks, and Gundam quickly—carefully—lifted Sonia off of him until they were sitting up on the floor across from one another. Gundam raised his bandaged palm before resting it against her forehead. Sonia smiled, before leaning into his touch and closing her eyes, humming gently. A dark scowl formed on Gundam’s lips as he felt the heat radiate through the bandages. 

She had it. Monobear had given her the Despair Disease. 

“…Fiend,” Gundam growled lowly, before removing his hand from Sonia’s forehead. Sonia’s eyes had opened and a curious look formed on her features as she stared at him. 

“What’s wrong, Tanaka-san?” She asked, “If you want, we can try again. There’s no need to be upset.” 

Gundam shook his head before standing. Sonia stayed kneeling, a small smile playing on her lips.

“My Lady,” Gundam began, “You have been cursed with a terrible disease.”

“Disease?” Sonia’s brow furrowed, as if she didn’t quite understand what Gundam was talking about.

“The Despair Disease,” Gundam muttered, “Monobear has chosen you as a victim.”

“Despair?” Sonia stood now, before giving him a teasing smile, “I feel no despair when I’m with you, Tanaka-san.” 

She went to reach up and snake her arms behind his neck, but Gundam quickly stepped back. Sonia pouted, before putting her hands on her hips.

“Do you wish for me to be in despair?” She asked, before her eyes suddenly lit up and her lips fell into a sultry smile, “Ah, I see. You wish to perform BDSM, yes?” 

Gundam almost fell over in shock, his hand coming up to clutch at his chest over his wildly beating heart as his mind seemed to enter another realm. This was it. He had reached his limit. 

“I-I must leave. Immediately!” Gundam stumbled backwards, before commanding the four dark Devas who had been watching the exchange, “Watch over the Princess! I will return…momentarily!” 

The Devas squeaked in response, before bounding over to the flirtatious princess and climbing up her dress and into her palms. Sonia’s attention was immediately distracted as she giggled in delight at the sudden appearance of the Devas and began petting them with her thumb so they would stay on her hand. 

Gundam took this moment to quickly flee from the room, entering the night and closing the door as gently, yet as rapidly as possible. Immediately the cool air hit his sweat-covered face, providing relief from the intense heat he had previously experienced. He leaned against the motel door, catching his breath before closing his eyes. 

He, the powerful tamer and owner of the four dark Devas, needed help. 

 

Souda heaved a large sigh before falling back on the motel bed, spreading his arms out wide before stretching. He had undone the top half of his mechanic suit, tying the upper half around his waist so that he could effectively cool down after a long day of running around the island, looking for a cure to the new motive. 

He pinched the top of his white tank top before airing it and causing a slight breeze to go down his shirt, rolling his head lazily to the side. A frown formed on his lips as he thought over the waste of a day he had. Not only had they failed to find a cure, but Sonia-san had been too busy to hang out with! She had chosen to explore on her own, and whenever he volunteered to go with, she effectively shot him down, telling him that searching individually would be more useful. 

So he had decided to putts around instead. Sure, he had been looking for something to help with the disease. Heck, he had even gone to see the horrific movie Monobear created. Absolute garbage in his eyes, but there was a chance it had some hint to a cure.

Of course, it had nothing.

Later, he tried the supermarket, but there wasn’t anything there either. His hand had hovered over the bug spray, remembering that the disease was spread through small bugs, however Monobear had popped up to remind him the spray was useless, and Souda had left the supermarket with a renewed sense of unease. Finally he and the others wrapped up the day by telecommunicating to Hinata and Kuzuryuu, before resigning back into their motel rooms. 

So now he was here, a feeling of defeat attempting to wedge its way into his mind. He refused to give in, however. Nobody was going to die, not on his watch!  
Monobear suddenly appeared on the TV monitor in his room, the familiar jingle sounding off before the bear announced that it was night time. Immediately fatigue hit Souda like a truck, and he closed his eyes tightly before rolling over onto his side.

Tomorrow would be more productive, he was sure of it.

About five minutes later, there came a pounding on his motel door. Souda started in surprise, his body jolting itself out of his half-asleep state at the sudden noise. He grumbled in protest, before rolling back onto his back and sitting up, itching his head and adjusting his beanie before standing. Another round of pounding occurred, and Souda cursed under his breath before heading to the door. Who could be bothering him at this hour? 

He peeked into the peek hole, before muttering lowly, “…The hell does he want?” 

The odds of Gundam Tanaka approaching his door at any hour of the day was less than one percent, and yet here he was, standing in front of Souda’s door with his arms crossed and his eyes turned to the side. Souda groaned internally, not wanting to put up with any more bullshit, but his curiosity got the best of him and he opened the door partially, just enough so that he could stick his head out.

“What?” Souda grumbled, rubbing at his eye as he glared at the animal breeder. Gundam glanced at him from the corner of his eye, before looking away to the side once more, raising his scarf slightly above his nose before muttering, “It seems fate has chosen you then, for this twisted journey.”

Souda blinked, “Dude, we all exchanged room numbers the day before.”

“I have a task,” Gundam continued, ignoring Souda’s statement, “that requires two souls. Usually I am strong enough on my own, however the situation at hand has proven to be…overwhelming.”

Souda narrowed his eyes slightly as he attempted to decode Gundam’s jargon. Was he…asking for Souda’s help?

Souda opened the door a bit wider, before sizing up the breeder for any signs that he was joking. He was surprised to note that Gundam had remnants of sweat on his forehead, and he continued to avoid eye contact as he waited for an answer. Usually the breeder was up front with people, but this time he seemed slightly elusive. 

“Hey man,” Souda finally spoke, “are you…okay?” 

“…It is not me who has been cursed,” Gundam murmured in reply.

“What, is it your hamsters?” Souda noticed the four creatures missing from Gundam’s scarf, as well as how Gundam bristled at the word ‘hamster.’ 

“No, the Devas,” Gundam added extra emphasis on the word, “Are currently holding their own.”

“Holding their own against what?” Souda frowned, “are they sick? Look, I’m a mechanic, not a vet. If you can’t fix it, try asking--.” 

“It is the Princess,” Gundam’s baritone voice cut Souda off completely, leaving Souda open mouthed in mid-word. Souda blinked rapidly as Gundam’s words registered in his mind.

“S-Sonia-san?” Souda managed, “Something’s wrong with Sonia-san?!” 

“Indeed,” Gundam nodded, finally looking over at Souda.

“What…what did you do to her?!” Souda tensed, a scowl forming on his lips as he finally swung the door all the way open, “I swear if you touched her--!” 

“Stop spouting nonsense!” Gundam snapped, though Souda noticed his face grow slightly pink, “I would never harm her intentionally.”

“Well then, where is she?” Souda asked, finally stepping out of his room and closing the door behind him. Gundam had to take a step back to allow Souda room outside.

“She…,” Gundam paused, a grimace forming on his lips before he chose to continue, “She is currently residing in my domain.”

“She’s in your room?!” Souda practically shrieked, his hands flying up to grasp at the sides of his head, before he quickly ran past Gundam to the breeder’s assigned motel room. 

Souda barely heard Gundam call for him as he dashed off, his head already coming up with scenarios as to what possibly happened. Did Gundam kidnap Sonia and his now holding her hostage? Did he try to do one of his weird rituals and ended up hurting her in the process? Maybe one of his hamsters bit her and gave her rabies!

“Sonia-san!” Souda yelled before opening Gundam’s motel room door and barging inside.

Only to scream aloud at the sight he saw until Gundam finally caught up to him and clapped a hand over his mouth, shoving them both further into the room and slamming the door behind them. 

Souda was still screaming behind Gundam’s hand, and barely registering Gundam’s grip tightening over his mouth and his breath hitching as he caught sight of what Souda was screaming at. 

Sonia was laying on Gundam’s bed, her green dress discarded and on the floor in a heap, so that what remained was her white blouse and her white under-skirt. The blouse was open slightly, revealing some cleavage that both boys looked anywhere but. Her ribbon that was usually in her hair was undone, while her stockings were draped over the headboard. The princess herself was petting the four Devas gently, and had looked up when she heard the door slam, her face lighting up.

“Ah, Tanaka-san!” She hesitated, “and…Souda-kun?” 

Sonia tilted her head curiously at the two boys in the doorway, before watching as Souda finally stopped screaming long enough to bite Gundam’s hand that was over his mouth. The breeder released him with a curse, gripping his hand tightly as small spots of blood started to appear from the puncture wounds. 

Souda immediately whirled towards Gundam, before pulling his beanie down so that it shadowed his eyes that were quickly filling with tears.

“You…you Ass!” Souda growled, “I can’t believe you brought me over here just to show me you were…were having sex with Sonia-san!” 

“What?!” Gundam yelled, his voice raising an octave as his face turned bright red, “Y-You fool! That is not what has occurred here!” 

“Then why the fuck is she like that?!” Souda pointed sharply towards Sonia, who had sat up on the bed now and was watching the two banter. 

“She has been infected!” Gundam hissed, before raising his bitten hand and growling, though not before catching Souda flinch back involuntarily, “and now my susceptibility to catch the disease has raised because of your actions!” 

“D-Disease?” Souda stuttered as he peered up at Gundam beneath his beanie, which he had pulled over his eyes completely when Gundam snapped at him. Gundam slowly lowered his hand, before sighing and pinching the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

“It was foolish of me to ask you for assistance,” Gundam muttered to himself, before speaking to Souda directly, “Monobear has chosen the next victim for the Despair Disease to be the Princess.” 

Souda blinked at Gundam, before looking over at Sonia, then back at Gundam once more and saying, “So…the Despair Disease makes her…?” 

Souda gestured vaguely over to the princess, who was idly fiddling with a button on her blouse and effectively unclasping another hole. Both boys quickly looked away, and Gundam gave a solemn nod in response. 

“Do…do you think she’s aware of what she’s doing?” Souda asked lowly.

“The Princess is usually more proper and reserved than this,” Gundam explained, “So I believe she is not aware of her actions, no.” 

“…So what do we do?” Souda asked, “Should we take her to the hospital?” 

“I fear that it is too late at night to do so,” Gundam murmured, placing a hand on his chin, “Monobear would immediately shun us from the premise after transferring the Princess, as he did to our other two comrades.” 

“So you think Tsumiki wouldn’t be able to help if we asked her to come over?” Souda furrowed his brow.

“She already has three on hand, one in critical condition,” Gundam muttered. 

“…So should the two of us watch her for now?” Souda asked, unsure of how to handle the situation.

“Indeed,” Gundam nodded, before his eyes flicked to the side to stare at something behind Souda. Souda blinked in confusion, and was about to turn and see what he was looking at, when two arms suddenly draped themselves over his shoulders, and wrapped around his neck. He felt a warm body press itself behind him, and a chin rest itself on his shoulder.

“Is Souda-kun staying over tonight as well, Tanaka-san?” Sonia’s voice sounded near Souda’s ear, revealing the person behind him to be Sonia. Souda’s face immediately heated, and he had to resist the urge to squeak in excitement.

Sonia-san was holding him! On top of that, she had used the honorific –kun! She never used an honorific with him before! This was a dream come true!

‘Wait,’ Souda hesitated, before his excitement quickly faded away, ‘but this was technically just a dream, wasn’t it? Her feelings weren’t real. It was just the disease.’ 

“…Damn it…,” Souda grumbled, before reluctantly peeling Sonia’s arms off of him. Gundam, he noticed, had raised a brow at his actions, before giving him a look of approval. It seemed the breeder had expected him to use the princess’ situation to his advantage. True, as much as Souda’s body craved Sonia’s touch, his mind kept him in check. 

If he was going to win Sonia-san’s love, he had to do it the right way.

Sonia, meanwhile, had caught Souda’s defeated curse, and took a step back from him after her arms had been moved and she lifted her chin from his shoulder.

“Souda-kun?” Sonia asked, as Souda turned to look at her, “Do you not want to spend time with us?”

Souda focused on Sonia’s face, instead of her revealed assets, before scratching at the back of his neck.

“N-No, I mean, sure I’ll hang around,” Souda managed, “But, uh, do you mind buttoning up?”

Sonia’s brow furrowed, before she glanced down at her chest.

“Hm, that’s too bad,” Sonia sighed softly, “I thought surely you would appreciate them.”

This statement caused both men to redden, before they began shifting nervously on their feet. Souda opened his mouth to say something, but Gundam had beat him to it.

“My Lady,” Gundam began, “You do not need to reveal yourself to allow the world to see your true beauty.”

Sonia glanced up at Gundam, before smiling at him warmly. She stepped around Souda, who mentally cursed himself for not coming up with a line like that, before standing in front of Gundam and saying, “If that is the case, please button me up.” 

Gundam hesitated, unsure of how to respond to the request, and Sonia, realizing why Gundam was hesitating, smiled mischievously before reaching for Gundam’s hand and moving it towards her chest.

“Here,” She murmured, “let me show you how.” 

Souda, quickly realizing what was happening, sputtered aloud, “W-Wait, Sonia-san!” 

Sonia paused, Gundam’s hand that was in her grip just inches from her chest, before giving Souda a sly smile. Meanwhile, Gundam’s face was beet red, and he had used his other hand to cover half of his face in his scarf to hide his blush. 

“Something wrong, Souda-kun?” Sonia had a devilish smirk on her face now, causing Souda to give a jolt in surprise as he realized she was trying to make him either jealous or uncomfortable on purpose. 

‘Damn you, Monobear!’ Souda inwardly cursed, pulling his beanie down slightly in frustration, before managing to come up with an excuse, saying as his eyes landed on Gundam’s hand, “H-His hand is bloody. I-It’ll get on your blouse!”

Sonia and Gundam both blinked, before they looked down at Gundam’s hand and realized it was the one Souda had bitten earlier. The puncture wounds, left untreated, began to ooze blood and was threatening to drip.

Sonia quickly released Gundam’s hand, giving a soft “oh!” before putting a hand to her lips. For a moment, her old self seemed to appear as she ushered Gundam to the bathroom so they could wash the wound.

“I had not realized you had been injured, Tanaka-san!” Sonia fussed, putting Gundam’s hand under the faucet before running some warm water over his palm, “Please be more careful next time!”

“…Do not fret, My Lady,” Gundam murmured gently, recovering from the previous event enough to speak, “I have received much worse.” 

“Gundam went to reach for the soap to sanitize the wound, but Sonia had quickly grabbed it before putting the soap in her hand and massaging his hand with her own.

“You must be thorough,” Sonia explained as she massaged gently. Souda, who was watching the exchange, couldn’t help but feel a flare of jealousy in his chest, which only increased as Sonia suddenly rested her head against Gundam’s shoulder. Gundam, meanwhile, felt himself grow warm at the gesture, and despite his better judgement, felt the corners of his lips turn upward slightly.

This sent Souda reeling inwardly, and he gave a harsh cough, reminding the two of his presence. Gundam twitched, before clearing his own throat and regaining his senses, finally telling Sonia, “I thank you, however I am capable of taking care of myself.” 

Sonia pouted, before releasing Gundam’s hand and muttering, “Yes. I suppose so.” 

The two boys started to notice Sonia grow fatigued, and as she stepped out of the bathroom, she stumbled slightly. Souda was quickly at her side, hands hovering over her uncertainly, just in case she fell.

“You may put your hands around me, Souda-kun,” Sonia managed to murmur, and although the words were consensual, Souda knew otherwise. Instead, Souda gently took Sonia’s arm before leading her to the end of the bed and sitting her down. He hesitated, eyeing her buttons before gulping and hesitantly reaching over to button up her blouse.

He only used the tips of his fingers to avoid any contact with her chest, while carefully buttoning the blouse back together. Sonia started to lean forward into his hands, causing Souda to fumble with the buttons more than he intended, before she rested her forehead against his.

Souda gave a small squeak in surprise, not expecting the sudden contact and heat that followed on his forehead. It was true, she was burning up and probably getting worse the longer she was up and about instead of resting. 

“U-Uh, could you lean back so I could finish your last button?” Souda managed, his face heating up involuntarily. 

“Mm, of course, Souda-kun,” Sonia purred gently, before leaning back and placing both of her arms on his shoulders, folding her hands behind his neck. Souda hesitated, this time feeling his whole body heat up, before quickly avoiding Sonia’s eyes and fixing the final button so her blouse was buttoned up all the way. 

“Ah! Thank you!” Sonia smiled as Souda leaned back and finally looked at him, “I believe a thank you kiss is in order, yes?” 

Souda’s knees almost gave out beneath him, and he sputtered, momentarily forgetting himself, “A-A kiss? F-From Sonia-san?!” 

“Mm-hm,” Sonia nodded, one of her fingers curling around a strand of pink hair near his neck, “It is customary, is it not?” 

“U-Uh, no. I mean,” Souda started sweating, his mind going on auto-pilot as he managed, “I-I don’t know.” 

“No, it is not.” Gundam was the one to intervene now, as he stepped forward from the bathroom door where he had been standing and observing the two after bandaging his other hand. The breeder reached the two before gently unwinding Sonia’s hands from behind Souda’s neck and placing them in her lap instead. Sonia looked up at Gundam and smiled affectionately at him, seeming to forget what she had just offered Souda, before a slight yawn escaped her lips. 

“Listen well, Miss,” Gundam commanded, though his voice was unusually soft, “The ruler of sleep calls to you. It is time to rest.”

“Mm, I suppose you’re right, Tanaka-san,” Sonia stretched, lifting her arms above her head before adjusting herself on the mattress and making her way to the head of the bed. The four Devas, which had been resting on the pillow, quickly scuttled out of the way as Sonia rested her head down where they had been. 

“Will you rest with me?” Sonia mumbled, blinking sleepily at the two. The two boys quickly began muttering excuses, their faces a light pink, before Sonia giggled gently and closed her eyes. For a moment no one moved, until Sonia breathed a deep sigh and finally fell asleep.

Gundam and Souda quickly relaxed, both letting out a breath of relief. Gundam watched as his four dark Devas skittered towards him and he bent down to pick them up, putting them in his scarf. Meanwhile, fatigue finally swept over Souda and he slumped down onto the floor, his back sliding down the wall facing the bed. He pulled his legs toward him before hugging his knees and resting his head on them. Faintly he was aware of Gundam switching off the light, before sitting down beside him, one leg bent while the other was stretched outwards. 

For a moment the two sat in silence, before Gundam murmured, “I must admit, I was hesitant to have your assistance, but you have certainly proven yourself to be stronger than I had assumed.” 

Souda gave a humorless laugh, before asking, “Why’d you ask for my help anyway? And don’t give me that crap about randomization or causality.” 

He felt Gundam hesitate beside him, before the breeder admitted, “…I have not interacted with the others enough to know if they can withstand my poisonous spirit.”

Now it was Souda’s turn to hesitate, as he turned his head to look at Gundam and raised a brow. Granted, he could only see the silhouette of Gundam due to how dark it was in the room, but he could tell that Gundam wasn’t looking at him and instead staring straight ahead.

“Wait, are you saying I’m the only one you talk to around here?” Souda asked. 

“…I keep my distance from many, and only speak to those who dare approach. This includes you,” Gundam muttered lowly, “As much as you appear hostile, you approach me more often than the others residing here.” 

Souda hadn’t thought about it, but he soon realized Gundam was right. No one else really spoke with Gundam aside from Sonia-san and occasionally Hajime. Then there was him, who only spoke to Gundam in order to try and shoo him away from Sonia. Which, if he thought about it that way, was pretty shitty of him. But he only wanted Sonia’s attention is all, and besides, it’s not like Sonia reciprocated his feelings anyway. She was way more into Gundam, as much as it hurt to admit.  
Especially tonight.

“Well…,” Souda finally spoke, “I mean, Sonia-san chose to go to you, so that’s something.” 

“She sensed an abnormality,” Gundam explained, “and came to me, as I am usually the source of such.” 

‘No,’ Souda thought bitterly, ‘It’s cause she likes you way more than anyone else.’ 

Instead of saying that aloud though, Souda offered, “Well, maybe she thought you could help ‘cause you know a lot about that kind of stuff. So…think of it as you’re smart.” 

This got a chuckle out of Gundam, “Indeed, my knowledge knows no bounds.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Souda nudged the man next to him gently with his elbow jokingly, “Sure.” 

Another lapse of silence followed, the only sound being the occasional squeak out of the Devas. Gundam gave a soft sigh, his body finally relaxing for the first time that night. In reality, he had expected the night to end in total disaster, but it had actually ended peacefully. Souda had proven himself as capable under pressure and, Gundam admitted, worth his time. 

And, Gundam supposed as he suddenly felt Souda’s head slowly slump onto his shoulder, maybe Gundam was worth his. 

 

They had awoken the next morning to muffled yells from outside. 

The sun had just barely risen, and Souda couldn’t recall there being a morning announcement from Monobear yet or not. All he could remember was something about Sonia…and talking with Gundam? 

Souda raised his head up from where he had been resting it, bumping it onto something only to realize it had been someone else’s head leaning on his. Said someone gave a soft grunt in annoyance as they were roused out of their sleep, and Souda had to blink rapidly until his vision finally focused on who he was leaning against. 

“G-Gundam?” Souda managed, a flash of shock going through him as he realized he had been sleeping on Gundam’s shoulder the whole night.

“Hmph,” Gundam frowned as he finally rid himself of sleep, “Salutations to you as well.” 

“W-Wait, what--,” Souda began, however Gundam quickly silenced him by raising a finger, his eyes narrowing.

“…Someone is calling for help,” Gundam finally said, before quickly standing.

“Uh, y-yeah,” Souda stood as well, deciding to drop the previous subject. His eyes glanced towards Sonia, who was still sleeping on the bed, though she began to stir slightly as the yelling outside continued.

“It sounds like Hajime,” Souda finally muttered to Gundam, who nodded in agreement.

“I shall go and see what has occurred,” Gundam decided, “You attend to the Princess while I am gone.”

“W-Wait a minute!” Souda started as he began to sweat nervously, but Gundam had already opened the door and stepped out, closing it behind him and leaving Souda alone with Sonia. Souda hesitated, before pulling down on his beanie, muttering softly, “Oh man….” 

Honestly he had hoped Gundam would stay with Sonia, for once in his life, while he checked what was happening. He had no idea how the Princess would react when she would finally wake up, but he was almost sure she’d rather see Gundam in a room alone with her instead of---.

A sharp gasp suddenly caught Souda’s attention, and he turned towards the sound only to have a pillow smack him right in the face. Souda stumbled back, grabbing the pillow and pulling it off his face only to have another one thrown at him once more, causing him to fall over.

“S-Sonia-san! W-Wait!” Souda managed, raising his hands up in surrender as Sonia seemed to reach for the lamp on the night stand next. Her eyes were narrowed and she commanded, “What are you doing in my room at this hour? Explain yourself!” 

“W-Well, I mean, don’t freak out but,” Souda tripped slightly as he tried to stand back up, his hands still raised, however this time in more of a defensive pose as he tried to calm her down, “…This, uh, isn’t your room exactly.” 

“W-What do you mean?” Sonia paled, “Where am I? Why am I here?!” 

This time she actually did lift up the lamp, pulling the plug out of the socket sharply. Souda gave a nervous whine, covering his head reflexively before mentally cursing Gundam for leaving him alone in a situation like this.

“You’re in Gundam’s room!” Souda yelled slightly, “Not mine!” 

“…Tanaka-san’s room?” Confusion crossed over Sonia’s features as she lowered the lamp slightly, “…But why?” 

“You…well…you got sick last night,” Souda explained, feeling a bit sour when he saw how much she changed when realizing she wasn’t in his room, “You came here on your own.” 

“…I did?” Sonia asked, her brows furrowing before she frowned, “Forgive me, but I do not believe you.” 

“I figured as much,” Souda muttered, deflating slightly as he tugged at his beanie once more. Sonia, seeing the defeated look on his face, decided to take pity on him before placing the lamp back on the bedside table. 

“…I do not remember what happened,” Sonia admitted, “but perhaps you could help me, Souda-kun.”

The two gave a start at the sudden honorific, Sonia’s hand flying up to her lips while Souda looked at her wide eyed. 

“…I-I’m sorry, I did not mean to…,” Sonia’s face flushed in embarrassment, before she suddenly seemed a bit self-conscious. She wrapped her arms around her torso, which caused her to realize she was only half dressed in her under clothes. 

“W-Where is my dress?” Sonia asked, a tint of fear creeping into her voice, while her hand reached up into her hair, “A-and my bow?” 

“Ah,” Souda hesitated, finally realizing how vulnerable she felt, before quickly grabbing her dress that was on the floor, “It’s right here. D-Don’t worry though! You, uh, you took it off by yourself.” 

Souda carefully handed the green dress to Sonia, who took it quickly before hugging it against herself. 

“I did?” She finally whispered, staring down at the dress in confusion, before her eyes suddenly widened. Souda had grabbed her undone bow, before turning back to the princess and seeing the sudden shock on her face. 

“Uh, Sonia-san?” Souda asked, taking a step forward, however Sonia quickly rushed past him, her face red as she dashed into the bathroom with her dress and slammed the door. 

Souda blinked, before realizing she had probably finally remembered the previous night. He hesitated for what felt like the fifth time that day, before slowly making his way to the bathroom door. He gave a gentle knock, before asking, “S-Sonia-san?” 

“P-Please,” Sonia could be heard from the other side, “Please give me a moment.” 

Souda felt a pit form in his stomach at her strained voice, and immediately regretted every involuntary thought he had about Sonia last night, yet was glad that he hadn’t acted on them. She was mortified, he realized, at the actions she performed without any control, and unfortunately it took up to now for him to see that. 

He hesitated, tempted to knock again, before slowly lowering his fist. He wasn’t sure if he should say anything to her, especially now, so he resigned to sitting on the end of the bed. He put his elbows on his knees and nervously cracked his knuckles as he waited anxiously for Sonia to step out, his mind attempting to create a coherent enough apology for what happened. Sure, he hadn’t been the one who initiated what happened, but he still felt an apology was needed. 

Gundam finally returned, stepping into the room swiftly before easing the door closed behind him. His lips were in the form of a grimace, and he seemed tense as he finally looked over at Souda, who had sat up when he heard the door open. 

“Well?” Souda asked, not admitting to himself the sense of relief that filled him when he was no longer alone, “What happened?”

“…It is possible another murder has occurred,” Gundam muttered darkly, “A traitor is among us once more.” 

Souda paled instantly as chills ran down his spine, “W-What? Y-You’re kidding!”

“You should know very well by now this is not a joke to be made,” Gundam narrowed his eyes, and Souda felt a sense of shame fall upon him. 

“Yeah…. Sorry man, I guess it was just a reflex,” Souda shook his head, already feeling himself grow nauseous. He wasn’t sure if he could handle seeing another body, especially not after discovering Koizumi’s body in the beach house alone. 

“…Please tell me I have heard wrong,” A soft voice came from the bathroom as the door slowly opened, revealing a dressed, yet similarly pale, Sonia. Gundam hesitated slightly at her sudden appearance, not aware that she had gone into the bathroom, before glancing at Souda. Souda gave a nod, letting him know that Sonia was back to normal, or at least for the most part. 

“…Unfortunately you have heard right, My Lady,” Gundam told her, before taking a step forward, however it was Sonia’s turn to hesitate, which caused Gundam to pause. 

“…If you believe me to be the murderer, you are greatly mistaken,” Gundam murmured, misinterpreting her actions. 

“No, I…,” Sonia rubbed one of her arms and looked to the side, her face a light shade of pink as she managed, “I am just a little wary is all.” 

“But Sonia-san…,” Souda caught himself saying, however quickly stopped himself. 

“We understand,” Gundam luckily said over him, before continuing, “However remind yourself that what occurred the other night was the works of demonic possession, and thus you should not blame yourself for any actions that you regret committing.” 

“…Yes,” Sonia tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “I suppose you are right. I was not in the right mindset.” 

An awkward silence filled the air for a moment, before Sonia carefully eased her way around Souda to grab her stockings that were still on the headboard. She hesitated, looking down at her legs before back up at the two boys who were watching her and murmuring a soft, “Um….” 

Catching what she was hinting at, the two quickly turned around to face the other way, though Souda needed an extra hint as Gundam nudged his shoulder to get him to turn away. Quickly Sonia put on her stockings, before finding her bow and shoes and putting those on as well. She was re-doing her braid quickly when she gave them the okay to turn back around, the two doing as she said and turning to face her again. 

“Um…I suppose we should head out then,” Sonia said as she finished, brushing off her dress skirt afterwards. 

“Yes, the others will become curious of our whereabouts,” Gundam nodded in agreement, and Souda went to the door to open it. 

Souda hesitated as he went to grab the door knob, before glancing at the two other teens behind him who were watching him expectantly.

“So…are we just gonna pretend this never happened?” Souda asked, raising a brow in question. 

“If you could please,” Sonia nodded, and for a moment she looked at him with those same doe-like eyes she had given him last night. 

“Alright-y then,” Souda muttered, quickly looking away from her gaze to avoid her seeing his face flush slightly. 

“…Thank you both,” Sonia murmured sincerely, “I am glad that I could rely on you all…and I hope this event has not changed your perception of me.”

“Hey, don’t worry about it, Sonia-san,” Souda said, hiding the large smile that formed on his face after receiving a genuine thank you from Sonia.

“We are happy to help you in any way,” Gundam nodded in agreement, and Sonia smiled at them both gratefully, “and if you feel you need to speak with someone, please do not hesitate to find us.”

Sonia thanked them both once more, while Souda smirked to himself, remembering his and Gundam’s conversation from last night, before finally opening the door, and the group carefully walked outside and into the reality they lived in once more.


End file.
